NFL analyst shoots down "jackassery" around Shedeur Sanders' character ahead of 2025 draft - "He's always been Joe Burrow-like to me"
Shedeur Sanders is arguably the most popular prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft. Earlier, it was expected that the Colorado quarterback would battle Cam Ward to be this draft's QB1; however, that is no longer the case.
With only 50 days left for the draft, Sanders' stock has taken a big hit. Evaluators at the NFL Combine have raised some issues around the 23-year-old quarterback. But not everyone agrees with them, as many still view the quarterback as an elite prospect.
In a recent conversation with Zach Gelb, NFL Draft analyst Emory Hunt was asked about the "jackassery" around Sanders' situation. He defended the Colorado star and compared him to Joe Burrow.
"I've never wavered from Shedeur Sanders," Hunt said. "He has always been Joe Burrow-like to me, based on how he plays the position from the neck up. And I'm glad you brought up Jackson State because it seems like, for a lot of people, those years don't even count. They treat it like as a JUCO. But he was out there as a freshman playing outstanding football."
"You look at what he's done statistically over the course of his career," Hunt continued. Finished college football with the highest completion percentage in college football history. So that's dating back to what 1869 so he has done it. So, what you're hearing now is people's disdain for Coach Prime, Deion Sanders, and they're throwing it on his son."
Being Deion Sanders' son comes with advantages and disadvantages. Although many support Shedeur in his journey to the NFL, some people will continue to downplay his brilliance just because of who his father is. Hopefully, Sanders will be able to silence his critics in the NFL.
Comparing Joe Burrow's and Shedeur Sanders' college stats
Hunt is not the first person to compare Sanders with Burrow, so here's a comparison between the two quarterbacks' stats in their college careers with LSU and Colorado, respectively:
Burrow, during his time with LSU, certainly had better stats than Sanders had at Colorado. Still, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback did fail to find a starting spot earlier at Ohio State. He made the best of his opportunity alongside players like Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson at LSU, and now Sanders will hope to do the same in the NFL.
Sanders, unlike Burrow, is not expected to be the first overall pick in his respective draft. The Tennessee Titans currently have the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and so far, they have not decided yet on what they will do with it.
The Las Vegas Raiders continue to look like an ideal landing spot for Sanders, and it will be fascinating to see if the Tom Brady-owned team will pursue the Colorado star.